Incantations, like rituals, are elaborate ceremonies designed to bring about powerful effects. However, while rituals require a caster level and accomplish their feats through gestures, chanting, and the use of expensive components, incantations have no required caster level and could involve chanting, gesturing, dancing, building elaborate machines, sacrificing gnomes under a full moon, carving the name of god onto a stone and dropping it into a bottomless well, or any number of other possible conditions.

Incantations are a completely different type of magic from anything else presented on this site. Where other magic uses caster levels and spell points, incantations use skill checks. Where other magic is reliable, broad, and generally carries no risk for the caster, incantations are often costly, dangerous, and very specific in what they accomplish. There are no class requirements to using most incantations, and virtually anyone can use an incantation if they are willing to pay the high cost of success and risk the even higher cost of failure.

The Role of Incantations

More so than any other form of magic presented on this site, incantations are almost completely defined by their role in the campaign.

Rituals and Advanced Talents are both designed to be player driven forms of advanced magic: if a player possess the planeshift ritual and has the gold to cast it, he may sojourn the planes as often as he sees fit. With an incantation, on the other hand, a player may only know how to visit a specific plane and might only be able to do so one day a year or only when they fulfill a special requirement, such as holding the heart of a recently slain black dragon. Using an incantation is often a very special event, and entire quests and adventures could revolve around performing—or stopping—an incantation from being used. Usually, incantations serve one of three purposes: plot device, party aid, and flavor.

Plot Device: Incantations are often very specific, both in effect and requirement. Through incantations, a GM can allow the party to raise the dead, travel across worlds, or speak to spirits in ways that don’t upset the rest of the game world. Alternately, villains could summon ancient demons, turn a city to stone, or place a king in an eternal slumber without necessarily being too high level for the party to handle. No matter what the story demands, an incantation can be crafted to fit the requirement.

Party Aid: Sometimes a party lacks something the GM feels they need. This could be a method of healing or tracking, a means for long-range communication, or a party scout. Through incantations, a GM can give a party new abilities that change the way they play, from giving them the ability to summon a spirit scout, to letting them heal their wounds at night without need for the Life sphere. In this way, incantations can become a treasure more valuable than gold and definitely worth a quest or two to acquire.

Flavor: Incantations allow a GM to customize the place of magic in their world, mixing setting, plot, and character together in ways other magic systems simply can’t contain. In the case of low-magic worlds or horror-themed games, incantations could even completely replace other magic systems, adding a sense of wonder and danger to magic that extends beyond what many consider ‘traditional’ gameplay. Indeed, incantations needn’t even strictly be magic; it is an easy thing to adapt the incantation rules to cover meditative trances, risky medical procedures, or the creation of steam-powered technological wonders, if that is the feel a particular world demands.

Discovering Incantations

While rituals and spells have clear-cut rules for player-conducted research, there are no universal rules for discovering incantations, as each incantation is something wholly unique unto itself. Players may discover an incantation in an ancient library, as part of the rites of a hidden temple, in an old nursery rhyme or children’s tale, or among a blacksmith’s notes detailing his last, greatest creation. Incantations might be found as treasure or might require the party to quest in search of secret knowledge.

Using Incantations

To use an incantation, a creature must meet all of its included criteria. While the exact rules and requirements differ from incantation to incantation, every incantation has the following basic components:

Casting Time: Every incantation has a casting time, which could range from a matter of minutes to several days or more.

Components: Most incantations require some variety of components, such as focus, material, somatic, and verbal components. In addition, some require secondary performers (abbreviated SP in an incantation’s description).

Secondary Performers (or Secondary Casters): Incantations often require multiple participants to successfully complete them. However, only one participant can be the primary performer. Secondary performers can make skill checks in place of the primary performer. However, performers cannot use the aid another action to assist in required skill checks. Incantations can be performed with more performers than necessary, so if certain participants cannot continue, others can replace them.

Skill checks: Every incantation lists a series of skill checks that must be successfully made in order to complete the incantation. Each incantation lists how many successful checks are required to cast it. Unless otherwise specified, you make a skill check every 10 minutes; failing a check means the incantation takes an additional 10 minutes to complete. Often, an incantation’s required skill checks can be performed in any order. Occasionally, however, a particular sequence is required either in total or in part. In this case, the required skill checks will be labeled with “in order” in the incantation description.

Any of the checks listed after this label must be performed in the same sequence listed; any listed before this label may be performed in any order either before or after the entirety of the sequenced checks. For example, in the case of “Skill Checks Knowledge (Arcana) DC 20, 1 success; in order—Sense Motive DC 20, 1 success; Bluff DC 20, 3 successes; Survival DC 20, 3 successes,” you must make 1 Sense Motive check, followed by 3 Bluff checks, and then by 3 Survival checks. However, the lone Knowledge (Arcana) check may be performed either before the Sense Motive check or after the last Survival check.

Backlash and Failure: Many rituals include some sort of backlash that affects you whether the incantation was successful or not. In addition, if the caster fails two consecutive skill checks, the entire incantation fails. Failing to cast an incantation still expends all material components and always bestows additional consequences.

Failed Incantations

If two consecutive skill checks are unsuccessful—even if made by different performers—the incantation fails. If an effect is listed in an incantation’s description specifically for failure, it targets the performer that failed the second check (in addition to a possible backlash). There are many possible consequences for failure, with the most common listed below.

Augment: Instead of destroying the target as it was supposed to, the incantation makes the target more powerful.

Betrayal: Though the incantation seems to succeed, the subject of the incantation—or even you—actually undergoes a dramatic alignment change. For the next 1d6 minutes, the subject’s alignment becomes the extreme opposite of what it was previously (for instance, lawful good becomes chaotic evil, or chaotic neutral becomes lawful neutral; a neutral subject randomly becomes lawful good, lawful evil, chaotic good, or chaotic evil). The subject generally tries to keep its new outlook a secret.

Damage: You or the target takes damage as the consequence of failure.

Death: Someone dies. This is usually you or the target. Some incantations allow a saving throw to avoid this consequence of failure.

Delusion: You believe the incantation worked, but actually, it had no effect—or a very different one from that intended.

Falsehood: The incantation (typically a divination) provides you with false results, but you believe it to be true.

Hostile Spell: You are targeted by a harmful effect, specified in the incantation’s description.

Mirrorcast: The incantation has the opposite effect of what was intended.

Reversal: The incantation affects you rather than the intended target.

Special Rules

Interrupting Incantations

Incantations take a long time to perform, but they aren’t as delicate and exacting as other forms of magic. You don’t provoke attacks of opportunity while performing them, and you can even pause the ritual for a short time in order to fight, use magic, or take other actions. However, for each round the incantation is interrupted, the DC of all subsequent skill checks to complete the performance increases by 1.

Time spent during the interruption of an incantation does not count toward its casting time.

Saving Throws

If an incantation allows a save, the formula to calculate the save is included in the incantation’s description.

Spell Resistance

When making magic skill checks to overcome spell resistance, divide the incantation’s skill check DC by 2 to find its effective MSB. (For opposed checks, use the default DC for the incantation’s sphere modified by any bonuses or penalties listed in the incantation for the opponent’s roll; divide this value by 2.) Use this value even if you are a caster.

Taking 10

As long as you are not threatened or distracted, you may take 10. However, incantations with backlash components or similarly harmful aspects count as threats, preventing you from taking 10. You may never take 20 when attempting to complete an incantation.

Creating New Incantations

While there are rules for player-driven research for both rituals and spellcrafting, creating new incantations is exclusively the realm of the GM (although it is possible for players to attempt the creation of an incantation under strict GM supervision). Creating new incantations can be a difficult balancing act: if an incantation is too difficult, too costly, or too dangerous, players may avoid using it altogether, while if an incantation is too easy, players may use it endlessly. Likewise, while some low-magic games leave the players with little option but incantations, in other games the players may have access to so many advanced talents and rituals that they needn’t rely on incantations except for the most pressing of circumstances. As such, judgment and common sense should always be used when creating new incantations; all numbers and values given below should be seen as guidelines rather than hard rules.

As a rule of thumb, each incantation should have at least one aspect (high DC, expensive component, extremely-specific effect or requirements, strong backlash or risk of failure) to discourage overuse; each use of an incantation should feel like a major event, if not the focus of its own adventure. While incantations may be as varied and unique as the GM desires, the following guidelines will help balance new incantations.

Determine Sphere

When creating an incantation, first decide which sphere or spheres it most thematically resembles. Each sphere has a specific DC associated with it that serves as the base skill check DC. If an incantation combines themes from multiple spheres, choose the most important one to determine the incantation’s base DC, and add 1/3 of the DC of the other spheres to the total DC.

Each summary below specifies the range, target, duration, and other aspects of an incantation associated with a particular sphere.

Modify DC

For the next step, determine what adjustments, if any, are required of the base DC, factoring in the specifics of your incantation (see Table: Modifying Incantations for a list of how certain factors change the skill check DC). Use this list as a guideline for modifications that aren’t listed, such as new backlash effects.

Table: Modifying Incantations

Factors Check

DC Modifier

Skill Checks

Requires checks involving more than one skill

-1

Casting Time

1 hour between checks

-1

Casting time is restricted (such as, only during full moon)

-4

Casting time is severely restricted (such as, only during lunar eclipse)

-8

Focus and Material Components

Expensive material component (500 gp)

-1

Expensive material component (5,000 gp)

-2

Expensive material component (25,000 gp)

-4

Expensive focus (5,000 gp)

-1

Expensive focus (25,000 gp)

-2

Extra Performers

10 or fewer secondary performers

-2

11-100 secondary performers

-6

101 or more secondary performers

-10

Range

Touch to Close/Close to Touch

+2/-2

Close to Medium/Medium to Close

+2/-2

Medium to Long/Long to Medium

+2/-2

Area

Doubling area/halving area

+3/-3

Target

Unwilling target must be helpless

-2

Factors cont.

Check DC Modifier

Limited targets (by HD, creature type, and so on)

-3

Single target to multiple targets

+4

Duration

Rounds to minutes/minutes to rounds

+2/-2

Minutes to hours/hours to minutes

+4/-2

Hours to days/days to hours

+6/-2

Days to permanent or instantaneous/permanent or instantaneous to days

+10/-4

Saving Throw

None (or harmless) to save partial/save partial to none (or harmless)

+2/-2

Save partial to save negates/save negates to save partial

+2/-2

Spell Resistance

Yes to no (or harmless)/no (or harmless) to yes

+4/-4

Backlash

Per 2d6 points of damage

-1

Performer is exhausted

-2

Per negative level performer gains

-2

Performer reduced to -1 hp

-3

Performer infected with disease

-4

Backlash affects secondary performers too

-1

Lesser Incantations

Per incantation effective level less than 6th

-2

Set Level

Finally, set the effective level of the incantation. Incantations are comparable to spells and rituals, and have the same level system (0-9). When determining the level of an incantation, it is often useful to compare it to spells or rituals to determine an appropriate level. Or, if comparing it to its base sphere, assume a level of 1/3 the needed caster level +1 per spell point required. This effective level determines a number of aspects of the incantation, such as how many total successes are required, save DCs, and sometimes its range and duration.

Skill DC: For every level an incantation possesses below 6th, decrease its starting DC by 2. The minimum DC for an incantation is 8 + (2 x level of the incantation). This equals a DC 10 for 1st level, DC 12 for 2nd level, DC 14 for 3rd level, DC 16 for 4th level, and DC 18 for 5th level.

Duration and Range: When determining the duration, range, and other variables, assume a caster level of twice the incantation’s level. Duration and range are determined as usual: if a duration is given in minutes, it will have a duration of 1 minute per caster level. If the range is Medium, it will have a range of 100 ft + 10 ft per caster level. Thus, a level 5 ritual with a duration of minutes and a range of Medium would have a duration of 10 minutes, and a range of 300 ft. These details are often specified in an incantation’s description. If not, assume a caster level of twice the incantation’s level and use the same formula a similar spell would use. For example, an incantation with a duration of minutes would last 12 minutes as it’s effectively a 6th level ritual. The same incantation with a range of medium can affect a target up to 220 ft away.

Opposed Checks

Some incantations use opposed ability or skill checks instead of checks with static DCs. Creating these incantations is almost identical to creating ones with static DCs; you must still choose the sphere and use the same default values, however, replacing the starting DC in this case with an opposed check, such as Bluff vs. Sense Motive or Disguise vs. Perception. When modifying the incantation, instead of applying adjustments to a static DC, apply adjustments to the target’s check result. For example, if creating an incantation that required an opposed Bluff vs. Sense Motive check, if you increased the duration from minutes to hours, you would then apply a +4 adjustment to the target’s check result. This means the opposed check would now be your Bluff result vs. the target’s Sense Motive result +4. If, instead, you reduced the duration from minutes to rounds, you would apply a -2 adjustment to the target’s Sense Motive check.

In an incantation description, using the current example, an opposed check would be designated “Bluff vs. Sense Motive +4”. The skill or other quantity that you use is the first listed, in this case Bluff. The one you’re opposing uses the second skill or the other quantity listed, in this case Sense Motive. Any modifier listed for you or your opponent is applied to the respective checks.

Sample Incantations

Ceaseless Forge

The Rose Forge was once the workshop of a peerless mage-artisan who produced countless wonders. No one knows the secret to her work and how she produced her art so effortlessly, but a careful examination of the Rose Forge might reveal her secret. Along the walls are curious notations and decorations that are actually an obscure form of musical notation, while an eye for architecture or magic will note how the place is designed for both acoustics and a peculiar telekinetic resonance.Sphere: Telekinesis; Level: 3rdSkill Checks: in order—Spellcraft DC 20 1 success, Perform (singing) DC 20 1 success, Craft DC 20 1 success; see belowCasting Time 2 Hours or more (see below)Components S, VRange TouchTarget One workshopDuration InstantaneousSaving Throw None, SR NoDescription
This incantation was used by the artisan of the Rose Forge to operate and wield the countless tools of the forge without any assistance, orchestrating an army of instruments with magicalone. By utilizing the precise harmonics of the forge and sound responsive magic infused into the tools and machines, a careful craftsman can perform work with astounding speed, producing weeks worth of work in only hours.

The performer first wakes the magic of the forge with a Spellcraft check, starting up mechanisms and attuning themselves to its telekinetic resonance so that the tools can be wielded properly. This attunement process takes an hour’s work. Then over the next hour the performer composes and sings a song that operates the forge with a Perform (singing) check while simultaneously directing the tools to create the desired item with a Craft check (using the specific craft skill relevant to the item). The DC of the Craft check is 20 or the Craft DC of the item being made, whichever is higher.

After the second hour of the incantation is complete, the performer has made progress on their Craft check as if they had spent a one week working. If the performer chooses they may extend the incantation up to six additional hours, with each hour giving them another week of progress, but an additional Perform (singing) and Craft check must be made each hour.

While the incantation itself has no material components, the normal crafting materials for the item must be provided. This incantation may only be used for non-magical crafting, and cannot speed up the creation of magical items.

Backlash
All performers are exhausted after the ritual is complete.

Failure
If you fail the initial Spellcraft check the ritual fails but you are not exhausted. Failing either the Perform (Singing) or Craft check means you make no progress in the hour, while failing both breaks your rhythm and ends the ritual, as well as disrupting the forge’s harmonics in a manner that takes a week to recalibrate. As normal, failing a Craft check by 5 or more ruins half the materials.

Commune With Nature

Sphere Divination; Level 5thSkill Check in order Knowledge (Nature) DC 20, Knowledge (Geography) DC 20, Knowledge (Nature) DC 20, 1 success each.Casting Time 1 hourComponents V, S, SPTarget PersonalDuration 10 minutesSaving Throw none; SR noDescription Skill checks are made on the day of a solstice or equinox inside a druid’s hallowed stone circle, which are made once every 20 minutes. Attempts on performing the incantation outside the required location or day increases the skill check DC by +20, usually resulting in failure.

Secondary performers may aid in this incantation, while not required, sufficient secondary performers decreases all the skill check DCs by an appropriate amount.

Upon successfully completing the incantation, the performers suffer from the effects of backlash and have ten minutes (the incantations duration) to each ask for one useful piece of advice in response to a question concerning a specific goal, event, or activity that is to occur within one week per performer. The advice can be as simple as a short phrase, or it might take the form of a cryptic rhyme or omen. If any of the performers doesn’t act on the information, the conditions may change so that the information is no longer useful.

Backlash Primary and Secondary performers become exhausted after the completion of casting the incantation.

Failure All performers receive backlash consequences and are immediately attacked by a summoned animal, elemental, fey, or vermin creature whose challenge rating is equal to 2 + the hit dice of the highest performer.

Description
To begin the incantation, the primary performer seeds the ground with spores taken from a fungus native to Faerie or places stones taken from Faerie, making the Knowledge (nature) check. The destination is then fixed by making the knowledge (geography) and Knowledge (planes) checks. The performers (at least 20 total, though creatures of the fey type count double) then dance vigorously around the circle, causing the fairy ring to form. Regardless of the result, all performers must succeed on a DC 18 Fortitude save or be fatigued at the end of the incantation.

Upon successfully completing the incantation, the fairy ring will be fully formed. See Traveling Through Faerie on the Fallen Fey page for more details.

Backlash The ring opens to a destination 1d10 miles away from the intended target per failure.

Failure The ring is malformed, opening briefly to disgorge 4d6 Hit Dice of gremlins before crumbling into useless dust.

Demonseal

Source: The Abjurer's Handbook

While most often used to close planar rifts between the human world and more hellish dimensions, it may be used to close rifts between other planes as well. While this incantation may be used to permanently close other permanent portals or planar gates, the incantation is usually considered too costly for something so minor.

Description
To begin the incantation, Craft checks are made to inscribe the focus (or foci) with runes. Runestones made in this fashion must be inscribed in the presence of the planar rift to be sealed shut. Knowledge (planes) checks are then used first to determine the proper placement of the focus (or foci), and to determine the best language used to seal the planar tear. To bring the incantation to a close, the Perform check is used to chant the sealing chant. If 100 or more secondary performers aid in this incantation, decrease the skill DC’s by 10.

Upon successfully completing the incantation, the focus will begin to glow and begin to orbit the location of the now closed rift (unless affixed to a structure of some sort). The rift will remain shut for 100 years or until all foci used during this incantation are removed. Any focus crafted during this incantation may be reused (if present) to reseal a rift that they were used to shut without having to craft new runestones. A single runestone may be removed with a successful magic skill check from the Telekinesis or Warp spheres vs a Magic Skill Defense of 30; alternatively, a runestone may be removed by force with a successful Strength check DC 50.

Backlash: The primary performer and any secondary performers become exhausted immediately after performing the incantation.

Failure: The planar rift or tear instead opens further, causing 2d4+1 creatures native to the other plane to appear (whose individual CR is equal to the highest level performer +1), which are unfriendly (if not hostile) toward the performers.

Fimbulvinter

Some say the world will end in ice, the entirety of it turned to glaciers and tundra, with little growing and ravenous predators roaming the land. And there are some who believe it is their destiny to bring about this wintry end. By invoking ancient sagas and investing a menhir with their own life force, they believe they can cover the world in a shroud of frost. They may be right.

Description
After the recitation of the saga is finished, the menhir glows briefly with a cold blue light and instantly begins chilling the air around it. The temperature within 5 ft. of the menhir immediately drops to severity level 5, regardless of prevailing conditions. This area expands by 5 ft. per round until it reaches a 100-ft. radius, and then expands by 5 ft. per hour until it covers the entirety of the plane it is on. In addition, predatory animals within the area gain a +6 bonus to Strength and a +4 bonus to Constitution, and are hostile to all creatures other than animals. This has no effect on animal companions or similar bonded creatures.

The temperature within the area can be lowered as normal, but raising the temperature requires a magic skill check against a DC of 31. It makes a magic skill check against any magical effect that would raise the temperature in the area once per minute; its magic skill bonus is +20. The effect cannot be dispelled, but destroying the menhir immediately ends it. The menhir is a colossal object with hardness 8 and 1000 hp. It regains 25 hp each round and takes no damage from acid, cold, electricity, or fire and cannot be moved by any means short of deific force (such as represented by a miracle or wish).

Backlash
Primary performer and all secondary performers are reduced to 0 hp.

Failure
Primary performer and all secondary performers are reduced to -1 hp, and 2d12 winter wolves appear and attack them, devouring their corpses if they die.

Description
Knowledge (engineering) checks are made once every 10 minutes (one per stone) verifying the correct angular positioning of their placement in relation to the other stones and the epicenter to which the primary performer stands. As many as four secondary performers may aid in this incantation, taking upon themselves a single negative level from that which the primary performer would suffer. Once each of the stones is placed, the primary performer positions themselves according to the current zodiac positioning with a Knowledge (planes) check. Each performer (primary or secondary) must then without magical coercion willingly and freely state that they offer themselves up as sacrifice.

Upon successfully completing the incantation, a barrier of force (similar to that created with the Protection sphere) is created centered on the primary performer (but will remain where the incantation is cast and will not move, even if the primary performer moves). The barrier has 100 hit points and refreshes at the beginning of each round until the duration of the incantation has expired. If the barrier is cast on a mobile landmass (such as a floating island), the barrier will move with the mobile landmass, remaining centered to where it is cast.

Backlash: The primary performer takes 4 negative levels (-1 per secondary performer, of which takes the negative level upon themselves).

Failure: If you fail 2 consecutive checks, the incantation still functions but only affects a radius of 600 ft. with only 50 hp per round, with a duration of 1 hour. In addition, the primary performer takes 4 negative levels and all secondary performers take 2 negative levels each.

Landrise Rite

Firefall’s Crest is a ruined keep, destroyed in a mysterious disaster in ages past. Yet curious structures and fading images hint at the keep’s old glory, and the ultimate source of its downfall: flight. While once it was suspended high in the sky, the force that held it aloft failed and dashed it to the ground. But if the old rituals were uncovered, Firefall’s Crest could be restored to its ancient heights.Sphere: Telekinesis; Level: 7thSkill Checks: in order—Knowledge (geography) DC 30 2 successes, Knowledge (local) DC 30 1 success, Spellcraft DC 34 4 successes.Casting Time: 1 weekComponents: S, V, M (gem dust worth 25,000 gp or more)Range: TouchArea: 100 ft radiusDuration: InstantaneousSaving Throw: None, SR: NoDescription
While once a closely guarded secret of the keep, this incantation can be found by a careful search of the ruins. The Landrise Rite consists of two parts: first, precise delineation of the keep’s geomancy to separate it from the earth, and second, imbuing its central chamber with telekinetic power to release it from the bonds of gravity. Each check performed involves a full day of ritual work, allowing enough time for the performers to rest.

In order to properly separate the area from the earth the performer uses Knowledge (geography) to determine the ideal borders of the territory and to designate two poles at its boundaries; these poles were once marked with elaborate pillars that have now crumbled and fallen. Then, using powdered gemstone dust, these borders are marked out with a ritual circle that encompasses the entire territory.

After this, granting flight requires the performer to find the spiritual center of Firefall’s Crest. By understanding the keep’s legends and nature with Knowledge (local) a central chamber can be found and the process of imbuing it with telekinetic power can begin. By a series of Spellcraft checks the ritualist attunes the chamber to the two poles and then charges them with telekinesis. At least three performers are needed for this portion of the ritual, one for each of the poles and then a third for the central chamber.

Backlash
The ritualist and any assistants are exhausted when the ritual is completed.

Failure
If you fail two consecutive knowledge (geography) or (local) checks you cannot accurately find and designate the necessary areas for the ritual and the ritual automatically fails when you attempt it. The Knowledge checks portion of the incantation can be interrupted without penalty, and these checks do not need to be made again if you have successfully completed them once. Failing two consecutive spellcraft checks results in catastrophe as the telekinetic forces become unaligned and the entire area is affected as per the earthquake advanced talent.

Adaptation While the ritual mentions the specific location of Firefall's Crest, the Landrise Rite is designed to be adaptable to many different situations. A character interested in a floating castle or keep might hunt down the incantation to use on their own territory, or it might be used offensively by a villain interested in claiming and isolating an entire city. However, the incantation should never be a simple or routine matter, having quirks to adjust it to the geomancy of different locales. One location might need the construction of a spiritual center, while another might require the assistance or permission of an elemental or deity. These complications make using the incantation an accomplishment and adventure instead of a mere transaction. A ritual affecting a larger area should be handled as multiple uses of the Landrise Rite performed in conjunction, spending 25,000 GP in material components for each use.

Description
Those that research ‘The Fates’ may find that a certain numerology exists that can be used to count the days leading up to a particularly rare astrological event (such as a planetary alignment involving multiple solar systems) (the Knowledge (history) checks). Through further research, one may determine the exact hours that the cosmic event will occur (the Knowledge (planes) checks).

After finding the exact day and hour of the cosmic event, the primary performer must seek out three idols which the Fates will both appreciate and entice them to appear (the Knowledge (religion) checks). At the hour of the cosmic event one must call out in a loud voice toward the celestial spectacle offering up the three idols (Diplomacy checks). If the Fates are pleased, they will offer the primary performer a single wish, to be worded with no more than 35 words. Examples of what an appropriate wish may do include any of the following:

Grant 5 temporary spell points and talents of the primary performer’s choice (with a caster level equal to their character level with these talents) for 24 hours.

Undo the harmful effects of a sphere talent or ability on a target the primary performer names.

Swing the tide of a battle in your favor by raising fallen allies to continue fighting (but will fall again after 24 hours).

Moving you and your allies, with all your and their gear, from one plane to a specific locale through planar barriers with no chance of error.

Protect a city from an earthquake, volcanic eruption, flood, or other natural disaster.

While wishing for other things is possible, if given a particularly wordy or complicated wish the fates may choose to fulfill the wish in their own time, or may require the primary performer to work to bring the wish to pass (i.e. the wish will not occur without effort on the performer’s side). This incantation counts as a miracle or wish for the purposes of spell effects or abilities that require them.

Backlash
Because the incantation requires overwhelming energy that alters reality, the primary performer instantaneously loses 2 limbs chosen at random by rolling a 1d4 twice (1: Right Arm; 2 Left Arm; 3: Right Leg; 4: Left Leg); Primary performers whose anatomical structure is not strictly humanoid, or otherwise lack the appendage to be lost may instead lose alternative limbs such as wings, additional legs, or multiple tentacles. Primary performers who lack limbs altogether may have reality altered causing them to lose people or other objects of sentimental worth. Attempting to negate backlash through non-instantaneous polymorph effects will result in the angering of the Fates, causing the incantation to fail. Limbs lost due to backlash may only be fully restored through a miracle, wish, or similar effect.

Failure
Those that fail 2 consecutive knowledge checks fail to perform the incantation correctly, thus resulting in the failure of the beings of fate to answer their call, but no material components are wasted. Those that fail 2 consecutive diplomacy checks fail to strike a bargain and, as punishment for the arrogance and insult, any secondary performers are instantaneously slain, and the Fates take the three idols with them. Those that fail the Linguistics check find their wish to be corrupted with a very different result than what was intended.

Description
After a night-long depraved ritual involving the profaning of good-aligned relics and culminating in the torture and sacrifice of thirteen sentient beings, a massive burst of infernal energy washes out from the site of casting. All creatures within one mile (including all surviving casters) take 10d6 profane damage (Reflex half). Good-aligned beings take an additional 5d6 damage. Immediately after, a 90’ radius portal (as the Warp advanced talent) opens to one of the lower planes, chosen by the caster. 2d10 balors, olethrodaemons, or pit fiends, as appropriate to the chosen plane, emerge immediately and attack any beings they come across (including all surviving casters). These may be followed by any other fiend native to the chosen plane. The portal closes in 18 days, but any fiends who have come through it remain.

Backlash
Six randomly selected secondary casters die.

Failure
Primary caster and all secondary casters die and their souls are dragged to a lower plane. They can never be returned to life by any means.

Special
This incantation can be modified as if by the extend spell by doubling the material component and casting time, the empower spell by tripling the material component and casting time, maximized by quadrupling the material component and casting time, or any combination of these.

Upon successfully completing the incantation, the performers of the incantation bring back the spirit of the target dead creature into another body, provided that the subject’s soul is willing to return. If the subject’s soul is not willing to return, the incantation does not work; therefore, a subject that wants to return receives no saving throw.

Since the dead creature is returning in a new body, all physical ills and afflictions are repaired. The condition of the remains is not a factor. So long as some small portion of the creature’s body still exists, it can be reincarnated. The magic of the incantation creates an entirely new young adult body for the soul to inhabit from the natural elements at hand.

A reincarnated creature recalls the majority of its former life and form. It retains any class abilities, feats, or skill ranks it formerly possessed. Its class, base attack bonus, base save bonuses, and hit points are unchanged. The reincarnated creature’s ability scores depend on the new body. First eliminate the subject’s racial adjustments (since it is no longer necessarily of his previous race) and then apply the adjustments of their new race to its remaining ability scores.

It’s possible for the change in the subject’s ability scores to make it difficult for it to pursue its previous character class. If this is the case, the subject is advised to become a multiclass character. The target creature’s new race must be of the same Race Point (RP) Power Level equal to or lower than it’s previous race. For the purpose of this incantation, all core races are considered to have the Standard (1RP-10RP) Power Level (even though dwarves have a RP value of 11). If the target doesn’t have a race point value to begin with, the GM determines if the target falls under one of the three RP Power Levels. If the target does, the creature may be reincarnated under a race within that point range, otherwise the incantation fails in the beginning without the expending the material components, backlash, or other penalties.

Failure The results of failing this incantation are dependent on which skill check the incantation failed:

Survival skill checks (either), the soul of the primary performer becomes lost and thus dies (the performer may still be raised normally).

Knowledge (Planes), Falsehood - continue with the incantation as if the knowledge check was successful, and should the rest of the incantation be successful, you do not reincarnate the spirit of the target, but rather that of a random creature.

Diplomacy, the primary performer fails to convince the creature’s spirit from leaving at this time. It may still retry the entire incantation later or use other means of raising the deceased.

Heal, Falsehood - continue with the incantation as if the heal check was successful, and should the rest of the incantation be successful, you reincarnate the spirit, but it dies inexplicably after 1 hour. You may still retry the entire incantation later or use other means of raising the deceased.

Knowledge (Nature), the new body for the retrieved spirit is frail - continue with the incantation as if the knowledge nature check was successful. The target receives a permanent -2 racial penalty to Strength, Dexterity and Constitution, stacking with any other racial penalties the new creature may have.

Race Points (RP)
Below are the Race Point Power Level values. Refer to Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Advanced Race Guide for more information on the Race Point system or values for expanded races.

Power Level

Race Point (RP) Range

Standard

(1-10 RP)

Advanced

(11-20 RP)

Monstrous

(21-30 RP)

Rite of Waking Slumber

To have the aid of a master magician at a difficult time may come with a cost, though that cost need not be taxing, and one’s life may be richer afterward for the gamble. Those who dare the risk may become an agent… for a week, a year, a lifetime, or a moment… of a mage versed in a tradition passed from the elves to the dwarves and merfolk and on to the arcane lords of other lands where magic and warfare go hand in hand.Sphere Mind; Effective Level 6thSkill Checks Knowledge (Arcana) DC 26 1 success, in order—Heal DC 26 1 success, Bluff DC 26 1 success, Craft (Alchemy) DC 26 2 successes, Bluff DC 26 1 successCasting Time 6 hoursComponents V, S, M (alchemically treated wine worth 200 gp, drunk during the incantation), F (diamond prism, silver chalice, and tattoo equipment collectively worth 2,000 gp)Range touchTarget one living humanoid, giant, or monstrous humanoidDuration InstantaneousSaving Throw no; SR yes

Description
One who has convinced a sufficiently powerful magician to perform the Rite of Waking Slumber to this ritual is subjected to a six hour procedure wherein the performer exercises the muscles of their target, places them into a highly suggestive state, creates and administers an alchemically treated wine (which the target must drink), and implants post-hypnotic suggestions. During the procedure, the performer also incorporates alchemical inks into a tattoo somewhere on the target’s body, which acts as both a conduit for the initial placement of the magic and as the basis for a mental bond between the performer and target. Other aids, usually courtiers or acolytes of the performer, are required to assist the performer in gathering magic and perfecting the alchemical treatments.

Traditionally, the target has agreed to perform some service in exchange for another, and the abilities imparted through this incantation (accessible via the waking sleeper prestige class, which the target now qualifies for) can often aid with these services. However, the first service is often tending to the suddenly vulnerable master when their health drops incredibly at the end of the rite. Rarely, at the end of the rite the target will try to betray the performer while they are in this weakened state, though the assembled acolytes and other measures may be taken for the security of the caster.

Backlash
The performer of the ritual is wracked with the magical energy wrought from the martial power new locked in the mind of the target, reducing their current hit points to -1.

Failure
Failure on the Knowledge (arcana) check causes a buildup of mental energy that causes 3d6 points of damage to both the target and performer. Failure on the Heal check causes the performer’s handiwork at working the target’s muscles and pressure points to be off, leading to the target being paralyzed for 1d4 days. Failure on either Bluff check means that the post-hypnotic suggestions did not settle properly, and bestows a rampant paranoia upon the target, effectively giving them the opposite alignment for 1d6 minutes at the conclusion of the ritual, likely tied to a desire to attack or sabotage the performer. Failure on either alchemy check means that there was something wrong with the wine or inks used in the incantation, and the target is afflicted with Blinding Sickness (CRB).

Ritual of Resurrection

Performing a ritual to restore life to the dead is a complicated thing — and it’s not guaranteed that you’ll be able to bring them back. Or at least, not that you’ll bring them back the same way. That said, a well-stocked laboratory can at least allow you to make the attempt, if you’re willing to slave away for hours.

Description
By brewing a concoction that was rumored to restore life to the dead, you can attempt to revive the fallen. The process takes hours, as the medicine must be injected carefully into every square inch of the body in painfully small increments, and deal with the tremors and complications that arise during the process.

Each check takes one hour to complete, as the concoction needs precise amounts of heat, stirring, and sitting before the next step can occur. Once the brew is finished, needles are used to inject the brew into the body, and the body must be carefully monitored. The smallest misstep can mean wracking pain for the victim, and possibly even brain damage.

Success, however, allows the creature to return to life with one permanent negative level. (Or if the subject was 1st level, one point of Constitution drain.) The body must be relatively whole beforehand, or else it will still be missing all body parts that it was lacking in the first place.

Backlash
All performers are exhausted.

Failure
If one check is failed, the target returns with the damaged soul template. If three checks are failed, the process doesn’t work.

River of Reverie

There exists a dream of a river, meandering through lands both real and imaginary. Believed to be related to the bounteous forces of the natural world, and tied to myths of the origin of willpower, this river is often sought by studious wielders of arcane power but rarely mastered. The chaotic and gentle flow is known by more fishermen and sailors than by wizards and incanters; in fact, only the calm, relaxed business of fishing seems appropriate for catching a dream, and then only with a specially prepared bait. While this structure of the mind flows through a consciousness, the maintainer of such a dreamscape gains a great defense against forces that act from beyond the grave though risks greater danger of facing a watery one.

Description
To perform this incantation, one must engage in a true act of fishing. First, one must alchemically alter the aged cheese into being the perfect bait for catching a dream. Then one must begin fishing at a suitably calm stream or river. Finally, once the dream takes the bait, one must use the fishing rod to channel the magical energies necessary to weave the dream into one’s own mind. The River of Reverie will always appear near the primary performer in their dreamscape, flowing through the land and providing a scenic view that always interposes itself between any undead creatures who enter the dreamscape. Any supernatural, spell-like, or extraordinary abilities employed by the undead creature to target the performer in their dreamscape automatically fail as if line of sight and line of effect were both blocked, and as if the target were out of range of the effect. However, the supernatural, spell-like, or extraordinary abilities of creatures with the aquatic subtype or water subtype automatically succeed against the performer. Spells or sphere-effects not related to the being’s nature are not affected by this.

Backlash
The performer is exhausted. If the incantation is a success, the caster only becomes exhausted once the duration expires.

Failure
If you fail the Craft (Alchemy) check twice, the cheese is wasted and must be replaced. If you fail two consecutive Profession (Fisher) checks, the dream of the River of Reverie gets away with the bait (which, again, requires the cheese to be replaced). If you fail the Spellcraft check, the dream of the River of Reverie gets away with the bait, the ever-losable cheese.

Description
The sacrificial victims, intelligent creatures (Intelligence greater than 2) at least 1 age category younger than the target, are exsanguinated (Heal) and the target bathes in their blood while dark powers are invoked (Knowledge (religion)).

If successful, the target creature has its age category reduced by 1 (to the minimum age in that category), to a minimum of young adult. Penalties to physical ability scores from aging are lost. Bonuses to mental ability scores from aging are retained, though a creature cannot benefit from these bonuses more than once.

Backlash
All primary and secondary performers are fatigued.

Failure
All primary and secondary performers are exhausted. The target ages 1 age category (to the minimum age in that category). If the target is already venerable, it instead crumbles to dust. A blood construct of the largest size possible based on the sizes of the sacrificed creatures forms and attacks all performers until destroyed or until all performers are slain.

Summoning Diagram

Wise conjurers take precautions before calling on the denizens of other planes.Sphere Conjuration; Level 3rdSkill Checks Knowledge (planes) DC 15 +5 per size category above Small 1 success, Knowledge (arcana) DC 15 + 5 per size category above Small 1 success.Casting Time 1 hourComponents S, M (25 gp worth of powdered silver per Small-sized creature that will fit in the circle, a Medium creature counts as two Small creatures, a Large creature counts as two Medium creatures, etc.)Target a number squares of level, empty ground sufficient to contain a creature of the circle’s size (1 square for Medium or Small creatures, 4 squares for Large, etc.)Duration instantaneousSaving Throw none; Spell Resistance no

Description
The primary performer spreads the powdered silver to make a summoning diagram, making the Knowledge checks to ensure the integrity of the circle. If successful, the result is a summoning diagram per the Diagram advanced talent of the Conjuration sphere. The diagram lasts until disrupted or the creature is released from the circle or banished, consuming the diagram.

A more permanent circle can be crafting by adding a Craft (jewelry) or other appropriate Craft or Profession skill for the diagram and another appropriate Craft skill for the material into which it will be inlaid (Profession (carpenter) for a wooden surface, Profession (stonemason) for a stone surface, etc.) at the same DC as the base checks. Doing so increases the cost and creation time of the circle by 5 times its base price and time, but it can be used any number of times.

Backlash
None

Failure
The diagram appears completed, but provides no bonuses. The performers are unaware of the failure and any creature in the circle is immediately freed and likely contemptuous of the performers’ incompetence, causing the performers to suffer significant increases in the cost to bargain for services (double base costs) if the creature does not choose to simply depart or attack.

Summon Extraplanar Being

With proper research and suitable payment, anyone can call upon the denizens of the planes.Sphere Conjuration; Level 3rdSkill Checks Knowledge (nature or planes) DC 15 + 1 per Hit Dice of called creatures 2 successes, Knowledge (arcana) DC 15 + 1 per Hit Dice of called creatures 1 success.Casting Time 1 hourComponents S, M (25 gp worth of powdered silver per Small-sized creature that will fit in the circle, a Medium creature counts as two Small creatures, a Large creature counts as two Medium creatures, etc.)Target A number of Hit Dice of outsidersDuration instantaneousSaving Throw Will negates; Spell Resistance no

Description
The performers may call upon a powerful creature from another plane. Calling takes one of two forms: allies and hostiles. If you summon a servant of an extraplanar being with which you have a strong connection (i.e., a cleric summoning a servant of its god) they are considered an ally. All other creatures are considered hostiles, regardless of their disposition towards the caster. GMs have the final say in whether or not a character is capable of summoning allies. The caster level of this ability is equal to (the Knowledge check DC-10)/2.

If the target is of the Fey type, use Knowledge (nature); if of the outsider type, use Knowledge (planes). To summon a target, the primary performer must choose a location within close range for them to appear (often a diagram per the Summoning Diagram incantation or Diagram advanced talent), the Hit Dice of the creature (or creatures), requiring 1 Knowledge (nature or planes) check, and the kind of creature to be summoned must be known and stated (the second Knowledge (nature or planes) check). If the primary performer wishes to summon a specific individual, he must use that individual’s proper name (doing so increases the DC of the Knowledge (nature or planes) check by 10). Multiple creatures may be summoned with one use of this ability (up to 3 at once) but the combined Hit Dice of all summoned creatures cannot exceed the chosen Hit Dice total.

If successful, the performers call the creatures as the Summoning advanced talent.

Note: Many evil-aligned creatures will accept payment in blood instead of wealth, even behaving as allies if a blood price is offered. For every 25 gp cost, 1 Hit Die worth of creatures must be killed. Creatures with an Intelligence score of 3 or higher count as twice their listed Hit Dice for this purpose. These creatures must be killed within a specially prepared magic circle (no cost to create, but requires at least one hour to draw; maximum radius 5 ft. per caster level). So long as the magic circle remains intact, any caster may use Hit Dice collected within it to power their magic, spending the collected Hit Dice as if it were gold to power their rituals. The life and essence alternate ritual costs (see Spheres of Power Ch. 4 Advanced Magic) may also be appropriate for some creatures, at the GM’s discretion.

Backlash
All performers are fatigued. If already fatigued, they instead become exhausted. If exhausted, they fall unconscious for 1d4 hours.

Failure
All performers gain 1 permanent negative level. Additionally, the target is aware of the identities of all the performers and may seek revenge or chastisement if it chooses. The target may choose to appear but is completely unbound and may act as it chooses.

Temporal Menhir [High. HB]

Sometimes a druid requires knowledge lost to the passage of time. This incantation allows druids to use their hallowed druid circles to travel 200 years into the past to acquire this information first hand, and then return to their own century. Many others have attempted to instead use this incantation to change history, but more often than not found the task difficult, if not impossible, as most time travelers end up putting events in motion that create the timeline they wished to prevent in the first place.Sphere Time; Level 9thSkill Check in order Knowledge (geography) DC 26; Knowledge (religion) DC 26, Knowledge (history) DC 26, 3 successes each.Casting Time 90 minutesComponents S, F, M (gemstone worth 500 gp)Range touchTarget primary performerDuration instantaneousSaving Throw Fortitude negates; SR yesDescription This incantation can only be used in a stone circle (with Knowledge (geography)). Failing to locate an appropriate area, causes the incantation to fail without any backlash or material components expended.

Once found, the primary performer must ensure that the stone circle has been hallowed by druids (with Knowledge (religion)). If the stone circle has not been appropriately hallowed, the land must be consecrated before the incantation may continue. The primary performer may choose to abandon the incantation at this time, without any backlash or material components expended. Once it has been determined that the location is a hallowed druid stone circle, the performer must verify that the stone circle is at least 200 years old (with Knowledge (history)).

If the hallowed druid stone circle is not that old, the incantation cannot continue, and must be abandoned (but without any backlash or material components expended).

If the performer can locate a hallowed druid stone circle that is at least 200 years old, the incantation may continue.

All that is required to complete the ritual is to press the material component (a gemstone worth 500 gp or more) into the focus (a magical menhir or trilithon). The performer is then instantaneously transported exactly 200 years to the past. Once the incantation has been successfully performed, the next time the incantation is attempted by the performer, it instead transports the performer exactly 200 years to the future (even if the performer attempts to use a different hallowed druid stone circle). Time spent in the past affects what year that the performer may return (For example, a 30 year-old druid in the year 500 uses the incantation to travel back to the year 300. After spending 50 years in the past, the druid performs the incantation again, returning to the year 550 as an 80 year-old). Only once the performer returns back to the future may the primary performer attempt to travel back to the past once more through use of this incantation.

The performer is unable to bring any magical or technological equipment when they travel through the stones using this incantation. Any magical or technological equipment melded into their person, or stored in an extra-dimensional storage, will find such objects no longer on their person, having been dropped in the previous timeline. The GM is the final arbiter on what constitutes as a technological item for the purpose of this incantation.

In addition, the performer can not bring with them more than a light load. The weight of any equipment stored within an extra-dimensional storage will count against their weight limit, and may prevent their travel through the stones until abandoned.

Backlash Each time that the incantation is used, the performer arrives exhausted.

Failure If the performer fails two consecutive Knowledge (geography) checks, the performer never finds the location of a stone circle. If the performer fails two consecutive Knowledge (religion) checks, the performer fails to determine if the stone circle was consecrated by druids. If the performer fails two consecutive Knowledge (history) checks, the performer fails to verify that the hallowed druid stone circle is at least 200 years old. Attempting to perform this ritual at a location that doesn’t meet all three of these prerequisites automatically fails.

Hallowed Druid Stone Circles
For the purposes of this incantation, a hallowed druid stone circle is any area where all of the following conditions have been met:

The area has been consecrated by a worshiper of nature (such as a druid or shaman, including any spherecaster who possesses the druidic magic casting tradition) through the hallow ritual (or similar spell or ability).

The area has a clearly marked circular perimeter marking the edges of the hallowed area.

The area has a minimum of one magical menhir or trilithon (The Geomancer's Handbook, pg. 22)

The Motion Archival

Hidden far beneath the earth is a secret, ancient labyrinth: the dusty halls of the Ancestral Repository. Within its dizzying maze rest endlessly slumbering monsters, fabled treasures, forgotten mysteries, and the immortal guardians who watch over it all and keep it safe. Those in the service of these guardians know an incantation by which any object or entity of interest can be returned to the Repository from afar: The Motion Archival.Sphere Warp; Effective Level 4thSkill Checks in order - Knowledge (arcana) DC 20 2 successes, Knowledge (local) DC 20 1 success, Diplomacy DC 20 1 successCasting Time 1 minuteComponents S, VTarget one creature or objectDuration instantaneousSaving Throw Will negates; SR: yesDescription
Granted only to the allies of the Ancestral Repository, this incantation offers an object or creature to the Repository and requests that the immortal guardians take custody of it. The incantation uses a circle of blood to call the attention of the guardians to the target, which is then followed by a petition to one of the guardians.

The circle of blood must be created around the target at precise locations. Because of this, a creature targeted by this incantation must either be willing or helpless. Further, the circle must incorporate arcane symbols that give a short description of the target, and so creating the circle requires the two Knowledge (arcana) checks. When the circle is successfully created, a link between the target and the Repository is formed. Within the circle, a mirage of the labyrinth can be seen, and a petition can be sent through it. The petition must follow a complex protocol and address a specific immortal guardian appropriate to the target being sent. Understanding this protocol and the proper guardian to address takes a Knowledge (local) check, and then a Diplomacy check to make a convincing petition.

After a successful petition, the target is teleported to the Repository.

Backlash
One willing performer (either primary or secondary) must take 2d6 damage as they provide blood for the incantation.

Failure
If you fail the initial Knowledge (arcana) checks, the incantation simply fails immediately as the link fails to form between the target and the Repository. Failing the Diplomacy check means the petition is rejected, and the target is not accepted by the guardians. If the Diplomacy check is failed by 5 or more, the incantation automatically fails if used on the same target again before one week passes.

Curiously, failing the Knowledge (local) check does not prevent the target from being teleported, but means incorrect protocol was used or the wrong guardian addressed. This typically results in censure by the guardians (treat them as unfriendly the next time they are encountered), but sometimes may result in stranger results, such as an object being lost in a dangerous or unknown part of the Repository, a transported villain appearing in an insecure area, or the target arriving in a way that disrupts or adversely affects other archived items.

Adaptation and Use
The Motion Archival is an incantation useful for securing dangerous villains, retrieving hard to transport artifacts, or sending important items to allies. It can easily be adapted for many uses, such as sending enemies back to a magical prison, ancient texts to a library, or even tithes to a god king.

The intent of the incantation is to send important things such as artifacts or people important to a quest to a specific place. A GM should be cautious about allowing frivolous or frequent uses of this incantation, and should adapt it to a strictly limited number of places rather than allowing it to send items anywhere in the world.

The River Returns

The island city of Great Delta is a nexus of magic and water, countless rivers running into and from the lake it is built within. As the heart of all waterflows in the region, the city has a mystic link to even the most distant rivers. This link may be used by a clever and careful magician to travel swiftly back to Great Delta from far afield.Sphere Warp; Effective Level 6thSkill Checks in order - Knowledge (geography) DC 22 1 success, Spellcraft DC 22 1 success, Swim DC 20 4 successes.Casting Time 30 minutesComponents S, V, F (a river)Target up to 8 willing creaturesDuration instantaneousSaving Throw none; SR: noDescription
Developed by the water magi of Great Delta, this incantation allows a traveling magi or one of their allies to make their way back to the city. By calling upon the natural flow of water and the power held within the city rivers, this magic can link a nearby river to the distant rivers of the city, and so by swimming down the river an individual can instantly return to Great Delta.

First, one traveler must match the river used as a focus for the incantation with the most similar river found at Great Delta with a Knowledge (geography) check. Then one traveler must perform the arcane rite that links the two rivers together with a Spellcraft check.

Once the rite is complete, each traveler must enter the river and make four consecutive Swim checks to travel its currents and reach Great Delta.

Backlash
Swimming in the real and magical currents takes great effort. All travelers are exhausted.

Failure
If a performer fails the initial Knowledge (geography) or Spellcraft checks then the ritual simply fails. If one of the travelers fails two consecutive Swim checks then they do not arrive at Great Delta, and instead sink in the river used as a focus as if they had failed a Swim check by 5 or more.

Adaptation and Use
The basic mechanical effect of The River Returns is teleportation to a specific place, limited by a specific medium. By altering the skill checks and medium, the incantation can be changed to fit any number of places and circumstances; for example, the priests of a god of roads might teach an incantation that can return a traveler from any road to their temple, requiring a Knowledge (religion) and Spellcraft check to perform the proper ritual, and four Diplomacy checks to pray to the god in a pleasing manner.

In general this incantation should only be adapted to one or two major locations, allowing players to swiftly return from distant adventures to a home city or a base of operations, but not travel anywhere in the world at a whim.

Description
This ritual ages the primary target creature by 2 years per point that the lower of the two Heal skill checks exceeds the DC, and decreases the age of the secondary target (either the primary performer or a creature within 30 ft. designated by the primary performer) by half the number of years added to the initial target. The initial target takes ability score penalties (but not bonuses) from aging as normal. The secondary target may reduce ability score penalties from aging, but retains any bonuses. Bonuses do not increase with repeated aging and de-aging.

The primary target must have more than half the Hit Dice of the secondary target or else simply turns to dust with not effect on the secondary performer.

Backlash
All primary and secondary performers are fatigued. Fatigued creatures are exhausted. Exhausted creatures fall unconscious for 1d4 hours and take 1d6 points of Constitution drain.

Failure
All primary and secondary performers age 1d4 x 10 years, taking penalties and gaining bonuses as appropriate. The primary target shifts to the young adult age category, with ability score adjustments as appropriate.

Description
All performers shed their blood to form a pact, locking the target away outside of time for as long as they live. The target is removed from time as the Eject Time sphere talent until the death of the last performer.

Extracting the necessary blood inflicts 1 point of Constitution damage on each performer.

Alternatively, a Craft check of an appropriate type may be added, allowing each performer to bind an item as part of the ritual. In this case, the target does not return until all the objects are either reunited or destroyed. Amulets, rings, and swords are examples of appropriate items, though anything the GM believes is suitable may be used.

Backlash
Each failure on a Heal skill check inflicts 1 point of Constitution damage to the performer from which the blood was being extracted but fails to produce blood useable for the incantation.

Failure
If the target was a creature, for one year and one day the target may, as a standard action, direct the actions of any performers that can hear its directions, as the powerful charm version of the Suggestion ability of the Mind sphere with no saving throw.

If the target was an object, the creature (other than one of the performers) that currently possesses the object gains this ability.